Dual temperature zone storage unit

ABSTRACT

A temperature controlled storage cabinet, such as for wine, includes two temperature controlled compartments. A door is provided for accessing the compartments. The cabinet includes a single heat exchanger for cooling both of the compartments and a heater for each of the two compartments. The cabinet includes a controller for independently selecting and maintaining a desired temperature in each of the respective compartments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to refrigerated wine storage units, and more particularly to storage units having multiple temperature zones.

To optimize the flavor and consistency of wine, certain types of wine should be served and stored at particular temperatures. Specifically, for example, red wines should typically be stored at a temperature of 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, while white wines should be stored at a temperature of 46 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit. These optimal storage temperatures are generally colder than typical room temperatures, but warmer than refrigerator temperatures, which are typically set at approximately 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to being set too cold for the proper storage of most wines, a refrigerator is not an ideal wine storage unit because wine requires a constant temperature to maintain its integrity, and the temperature in a refrigerator fluctuates each time it is opened.

Accordingly, temperature controlled wine storage units have been developed to keep wines at an optimal storage temperatures. Some wine storage units have separate temperature zones, such that the unit can accommodate both red and white wines. However, providing each zone with its own, separate refrigeration system takes up a lot of space and is relatively costly. But with the use of only one refrigeration system, it can be difficult to regulate and maintain the temperatures in the respective zones. For example, when one zone is set to a cooler temperature, the temperature in the adjacent zone will often drop as well. Further, with only one heat exchanger, it may take a relatively long time to bring the wines up to an appropriate serving temperature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The temperature controlled storage cabinet according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a housing that defines an interior chamber, with at least one divider for separating the chamber into at least two compartments and a door for providing access to the compartments. The cabinet includes a heat exchanger for cooling the compartments and at least two heating elements for independently heating each of the compartments. A controller is provided for selecting and maintaining a desired temperature in each of the compartments.

Optionally, the cabinet may include a thermometer in each of the compartments that provides the controller with a detected temperature in each of the compartments, such that the controller can selectively operate the heat exchanger and the heaters in response to the detected temperatures.

Further, the controller may include a selector for selecting a desired temperature for each of the compartments. The controller may be adapted to activate a heating element in one of the compartments when the detected temperature in that compartment is lower than the selected temperature.

Optionally, the cabinet may include a supply air fan in each of the compartments for circulating air from the heat exchanger into the compartments. The cabinet may also include an air vent in each of the compartments for returning air in the compartments to the heat exchanger. Further, at least one air duct may be provided for transferring air from the air vent to the heat exchanger. Optionally, the air duct may be thermoformed in a liner in the housing.

In one embodiment, the heat exchanger is an evaporator. The evaporator may operate in connection with a condenser and a compressor, which may be placed or housed on a tray that is slidable out of the cabinet housing to provide access to the compressor and condenser for repairs and maintenance.

Optionally, the cabinet door includes a seal for engaging the divider when the door is closed, which may thermally insulate the compartments from one another.

Thus, the dual temperature zone storage cabinet claimed in the present invention provides two individually controlled compartments for the separate storage of red and white wine, with one heat exchanger for cooling the entire unit and at least two heaters for warming each compartment. The inclusion of a heating element in each compartment provides more efficient warming of the wine to serving temperature and also assists in maintaining more precise temperatures in each cabinet, even when adjacent cabinets are set with a large temperature differential. Further, the air duct system allows the entire cabinet to be cooled using only one heat exchanger, which reduces the weight, size and cost of the device.

These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the description of the current embodiment and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the temperature controlled storage cabinet according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the storage cabinet with the door removed.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the storage cabinet with the door removed.

FIG. 4 is another sectional side view of the storage cabinet, shown with the door.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the area within line V in FIG. 4 showing the door seal of the storage cabinet.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the door seal.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a heating element and fan of the storage cabinet.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the heating element of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the evaporator of the storage cabinet.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the machine compartment and the load control housing of the storage cabinet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CURRENT EMBODIMENT

A temperature controlled wine storage cabinet in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and is generally designated 10. The cabinet 10 includes a housing 12 that defines a chamber 13, with a partition wall or divider 14 for dividing the chamber into two sections or compartments 16, 18. A door 20 is included in the housing for providing access to each of the compartments 6, 18. The cabinet 10 includes a single heat exchanger 22 for cooling both of the compartments 16, 18 and two supplemental heating elements or heaters 24 and 26 for individually heating the compartments 16, 18 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The cabinet 10 also includes a controller 28 for selecting and maintaining a desired temperature in each of the respective compartments 16, 18.

The cabinet 10 may include any type of heat exchanger 22 that is suitable for cooling the compartments 16, 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the heat exchanger is an evaporator 22, more specifically, a forced-air tube and fin evaporator cooling coil, which is known in the art. As shown in FIG. 9, the evaporator 22 includes tubes 23, through which vaporizing refrigerant travels, and fins 25, which act as a secondary heat absorbing surface. The fins 25 increase the overall surface area of the evaporator 22 without increasing its weight, which increases the efficiency of the evaporator.

As shown in FIG. 2, the evaporator 22 operates in connection with an upper supply air fan 30 positioned in upper compartment 16 and a lower supply air fan 32 positioned in lower compartment 18. The upper and lower fans 30, 32 are adapted to circulate air that has been cooled by the evaporator 22 into the compartments 16, 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper and lower fans 30, 32 are both positioned in a rear wall of the chamber 13. However, the fans may be placed in any position that provides sufficient air circulation through each compartment 16, 18.

Optionally, the air in the respective compartments 16, 18 may be circulated out through vents located in the compartments. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cabinet 10 includes an upper return air vent 34 in upper compartment 16 and a lower return air vent 36 in lower compartment 18. The vents may circulate the air from the compartments 16, 18 through at least one air duct 37 that is connected to the vents 34, 36 (FIG. 2). Optionally, the air duct 37 may be integrally formed in a thermoformed liner 39 that is adapted to cover the inside rear wall of the housing, such that separate, additional ducts are not required.

In the illustrated embodiment, the heat exchanger 22 is positioned against a rear inner wall 13 of the housing 12, such that both the upper and lower supply fans 30, 32 can access the air cooled by the heat exchanger 22 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Optionally, the refrigeration components, including the heat exchanger 22, the upper and lower fans 30, 32, the upper and lower vents 34, 36 and the liner 39 may be covered by a rear compartment cover in the interior of the cabinet 10 for aesthetic purposes (not shown).

Optionally, the refrigeration system of cabinet 10 may also include a compressor and condenser unit 52 (FIG. 10). In the illustrated embodiment, the circulating refrigerant enters the compressor as a vapor and is compressed to a higher pressure, which also increases the temperature. The hot, compressed vapor is then routed through the condenser, where it is cooled and condensed into a liquid by flowing through a coil or tubes 53 with cool air flowing across the coil or tubes, for example, from condenser fan 54.

In the illustrated embodiment, the compressor and condenser unit 52 is positioned in a machine compartment 60 and is supported on a tray or other type of support 56 in the housing 12 (FIG. 10). In the illustrated embodiment, the tray 56 is slidable in and out of the housing 12 in order to provide easy access to the compressor and condenser unit 52 for repairs. As shown in FIG. 10, a load control housing 58 or any other component that requires access may also be positioned on the tray 56.

The heating elements 24, 26 may be any heater suitable for heating the compartments 16, 18 of the cabinet 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the heating elements 24, 26 are foil heaters, more specifically, resistance wire on foil heaters or aluminum foil heaters, which are known in the art for use in refrigerators, freezers and ice cabinets. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the heating elements 24, 26 each include a wire heater 38, formed from PVC, for example, that is melted onto a single aluminum foil sheet 40 or sandwiched between two aluminum foil sheets 40. Foil heaters, such as those shown in the illustrated embodiment, can be useful in applications with low temperature heating requirements like those of the cabinet 10. Optionally, the heating elements 24, 26 may include a fan 42 for circulating the generated heat throughout the compartments 16, 18, to assist in preventing the formation of a temperature gradient in the compartments.

The controller 28 controls and maintains the temperatures that a user sets for each of the respective compartments 16, 18 by selectively activating the refrigeration components of the cabinet 10. To allow the controller to monitor and control the respective temperatures, the controller 28 may be electrically connected to a thermometer 44, 46 positioned in each compartment 16, 18 and adapted to detect the temperature in each of the compartments (FIG. 3). The controller 28 can then determine whether the detected temperature in the compartments 16, 18 is higher or lower than the temperature selected for each respective compartment. For example, if the temperature detected by thermometer 44 in the upper compartment 16 is 55 degrees Fahrenheit, but the set temperature for compartment 16 is 49 degrees Fahrenheit, then the controller 28 will activate the heat exchanger 22 and the upper supply fan 30 to cool the compartment 16 to achieve the set temperature.

Once the set temperatures are achieved in the compartments 16, 18, the heaters 24, 26 assist in efficiently maintaining the set temperatures. For example, if the activation of the heat exchanger 22 to cool compartment 16 begins to undesirably lower the temperature in compartment 18, then the controller 28 will activate the heating element 26 in compartment 18 to maintain the set temperature.

Additionally, the inclusion of a heater in each compartment 16, 18 allows the cabinet 10 to more quickly and efficiently achieve a warmer set temperature. For example, when a user sets the controller 28 to warm the wine in compartment 18 to a serving temperature, the controller 28 is able to activate the heater 26 to quickly warm only the compartment 18 to the desired temperature. In contrast, if the cabinet 10 included only one heater, the heater would typically have to heat the space of the entire chamber 13, and the heat exchanger 22 would likely have to be activated to prevent the undesirable heating of compartment 16.

Optionally, the controller 28 may include at least one selector 48 for allowing a user to set the temperature in the upper and lower cabinets 16, 18. The selector 48 may be included on the housing 12 in the form of a switch, a touch pad, push buttons or a dial or any other type of suitable selector. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, the selector 48 is included on the upper front wall of housing 12 proximate to the controller 28, to provide easy access to a user. However, the selector 48 and controller 28 may be positioned on any desired surface or portion of the housing.

In one embodiment, the controller 28 and/or selector 48 may display temperatures in both Fahrenheit and Celsius, or may provide the user with the option to select between the two displays. For example, the control 28 and/or selector 48 may be provided with a button that reads ° F./° C., such that the user may switch between Fahrenheit and Celsius as desired.

Optionally, in addition to providing the user the ability to set the temperature in each compartment 16, 18, the selector 48 may provide the user with a standard option or setting for a certain type of beverage or other product to be cooled in the compartments. For example, the controller 28 may provide the user with an option such as “white wine” or “red wine.” This may assist users in determining the optimal temperature for certain wines.

To further assist a user in more accurately determining the actual serving temperature of the wines in the compartments 16, 18, the thermometers 44, 46 may be adapted to determine the temperature of the contents of the wine in each compartment, such as through contact with at least one of the bottles.

Optionally, the cabinet 10 may include a display screen that operates in connection with the controller 28. The display screen may be an LCD or LED or any other type of display. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, a display screen 50 is included on the upper front surface of the housing and is adapted to provide a user with information regarding the status of the cabinet 10. For example, the display screen 50 may display the set temperature for each of the compartments 16, 18; or the actual temperature in each of the cabinets 16, 18, as detected by the thermometers 44, 46; or the time remaining until the compartments 16, 18 will reach the set temperature.

Optionally, the cabinet 10 may include an audible alarm or visual warning, such as on display screen 50, that can be activated if certain parameters are detected by the controller 28. For example, the controller 28 may be set to sound the alarm and/or display the warning if the door 20 is open or if the cabinet's power source has gone out. In one embodiment, a user can set a maximum and minimum temperature for the cabinet 10, such that the alarm sounds, or is displayed, if the temperature in one of the compartments 16, 18 is detected as being out of the selected temperature range. An example temperature range for the cabinet 10 is between 40° and 65° Fahrenheit. Optionally, a user would be prevented from setting the temperatures in the compartments 16, 18 outside of that range.

In one embodiment, the controller 28 may include a timer, such that the controller 28 can be set to adjust the temperature settings in each of the compartments at a certain time of the day or week. For example, a user can set the controller 28 to warm the wine in one or both of the cabinets to a serving temperature every Sunday at dinnertime and to chill the wine back to the storage temperature that same evening.

In order to maintain precise temperatures in each of the compartments 16, 18, the compartments may be thermally insulated and/or sealed from each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the door 20 includes a seal 70 having a sealing surface 72 that is adapted to engage and seal against a front outer surface 74 of the divider 14 when the door 20 is closed (FIGS. 1 and 4-6). The seal 70 covers the width of the door 20 and may be formed from a dual durometer extrusion, which is a co-extrusion process that fuses two materials of different physical properties into one uniform or consistent cross section. In the illustrated embodiment, the seal is formed from a combination of a rigid material, for strength, and a soft or flexible material, for sealing against surface 74 of the divider 14.

The divider 14 may be formed from any materials having sufficient insulating properties to prevent the transfer of heat between the compartments 16, 18. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the divider 14 is formed from an insulated material in the central portion 62, which is at least partially covered or enclosed with a top sheet 64 and a bottom sheet 66, both of which are formed from a plastic or polymeric material. In the illustrated embodiment, the divider 14 also includes an extruded plastic portion 68 on the front surface 74 for engaging the seal 70.

In the illustrated embodiment, the divider 14 is positioned generally halfway between the top wall 15 and the bottom wall 17 of the housing 12, such that the each of the compartments 16, 18 are generally the same size (FIGS. 1-4). Optionally, the divider 14 may be positioned closer to one of the walls 15, 17 to provide one smaller compartment and one larger compartment. Further, the cabinet 10 may include more than one divider 14, such that more than two temperature controlled compartments are provided. For example, the storage cabinet 10 may include two dividers 14, which would provide three compartments.

Further, the divider 14 may optionally be removably attached to the inner walls of the chamber 13, such that the divider 14 may be manually adjusted to selectively choose the size of the compartments. In such a configuration, the seal 70 may also be removably attached to the door 20 to correspond with the placement of the divider 14.

Optionally, the cabinet 10 may include shelves 76 for storing bottles of wine (FIGS. 2-4). In the illustrated embodiment, each compartment 16, 18 includes three shelves 76. Optionally, the shelves 76 may include partitions for preventing the bottles of wine from rolling around on the shelves 76. The housing and shelves may be formed from any suitable material, including metal and textured cold rolled steel, which provides a flame retardant material at a relatively low cost.

The above description is that of the current embodiment of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Any reference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular. 

1. A temperature controlled storage cabinet, comprising: a housing defining an interior chamber; a divider for separating said chamber into at least two compartments; a door, wherein said door is adapted to provide access to said at least two compartments; a heat exchanger for cooling said at least two compartments; a heating element for heating each of said at least two compartments, wherein each compartment includes one of said heating elements; and a controller for selecting and maintaining a desired temperature in each of said at least two compartments.
 2. The storage cabinet of claim 1 further comprising a thermometer in each of said at least two compartments, wherein said thermometers provide said controller with a detected temperature in each of said compartments.
 3. The storage cabinet of claim 2 wherein said controller is adapted to selectively activate at least one of said heating elements and said heat exchanger in response to said detected temperatures.
 4. The storage cabinet of claim 3 wherein said controller is adapted to selectively activate said heating element in one of said compartments when a detected temperature in said compartment is lower than a selected temperature.
 5. The storage cabinet of claim 4 wherein said controller includes a selector for selecting a desired temperature for each of said at least two compartments.
 6. The storage cabinet of claim 5 further comprising a supply air fan in each of said at least two compartments for circulating air from said heat exchanger into said compartments.
 7. The storage cabinet of claim 6 wherein said controller is adapted to selectively operate said supply air fans in response to said detected temperatures.
 8. The storage cabinet of claim 7 further comprising an air vent in each of said at least two compartments for returning air from said compartments to said heat exchanger.
 9. The storage cabinet of claim 7 further comprising and at least one air duct for transferring air through said air vent to said heat exchanger, wherein said air duct is thermoformed in a liner in said housing.
 10. The storage cabinet of claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger is an evaporator.
 11. The storage cabinet of claim 10 further comprising a condenser and a compressor.
 12. The storage cabinet of claim 11 further comprising a tray for supporting said compressor and said condenser in said housing, wherein said tray is adapted to slide out of said housing to provide access to said compressor and said condenser.
 13. The storage cabinet of claim 10, wherein said evaporator controls the humidity level in each of said compartments.
 14. The storage cabinet of claim 1 wherein said door includes a seal for engaging said divider when said door is closed.
 15. The storage cabinet of claim 14 wherein said at least two compartments are thermally insulated from one another when said door is closed.
 16. The storage cabinet of claim 14, wherein said seal is formed from a dual durometer extrusion.
 17. A wine storage unit comprising: first and second storage compartments; and a temperature control system adapted to independently control the temperature of the first and second storage compartments, the temperature control system including a cooling portion adapted to cool the first and second storage compartments, the temperature control system further including first and second heating portions adapted to independently heat the first and second control compartments.
 18. A wine storage unit as defined in claim 17 wherein the temperature control system includes a temperature selector for selecting independent first and second desired temperatures for the first and second storage compartments respectively.
 19. A wine storage unit as defined in claim 17 wherein the temperature control system is further adapted to control the humidity in the first and second compartments. 